


Petals in the Snow

by AnazelV



Category: Ayakashi: Ghost Guild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-10 05:23:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7832062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnazelV/pseuds/AnazelV
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I clutched my red hooded cloak tightly as trudged down the snow covered path that night. I could not stay away from the guild hall at the end of the path... The place that held so many memories...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Petals in the Snow

I clutched my red hooded cloak tightly as trudged down the snow covered path. Over the trees, in the horizon, one could see the buildings of the city dotted with colorful, festive lights.

I could see my breath as I lightly sighed. Despite the warmth of the lights; despite the red of my cloak, I still felt cold. I sighed again as I turned my attention back onto the path before me.

My feet moved on their own as they took me along the path. I walked past the familiar bend to the left. I took the usual turn to the right. The way to where I was going had already been etched into my head. I could already guess how long it would take me until I would reach it.

In my mind, I knew there were only a few more meters to go, and thus a few more minutes. On the other hand, my feet thought differently. They couldn't take it. They suddenly went into a sprint because they knew I couldn't stand another minute. The snow tried to slow me down, but I didn't care because I couldn't bear another day.

I finally stopped when I reached the small steps of a two-storey building. I took a moment to catch my breath as I surveyed the building. The various nooks and crannies had begun to catch snow. The windows had just started to freeze up. I examined the door.

It was locked, but not frozen yet. With my cloak, I wiped the card reader bolted next to the door. I then took out a card and swiped it against the reader. The lock clicked open. It took a bit of effort, but I was able to push the door open.

* * *

The sound of my steps lightly echoed as I walked through the door into the main hall. I pulled my hood over to get a better look of my surroundings. It was dark, but the faint light from outside was able to help me make out a few objects. Chairs. Tables. Some in disarray. I paused and stood beside one of the chairs. I rested my hand on the head of the chair as I closed my eyes.

It was blurry, but I could picture the brightly lit main hall. A light warmth began blanketing my body. I started to hear voices of joy, determination, and endearment pop up all around me. So many memories, happy ones, took place in this hall. We rallied together here. We cheered each other on here. We even just simply hung out here. Enjoying each other's time. I cannot clearly picture each one of them as they were too many to count, but I'll always remember the warm, bright feelings attached to them.

I opened my eyes. The hall was dark once again. I let go of the chair, then I headed towards the door in the back of the hall.

* * *

I walked into the kitchen. Like the last room, it was dark. Again, a faint light from the frosted window was able to outline some of the things inside, including a table in the center of the room. Despite being left unused for a couple of days, the kitchen remained relatively clean, albeit with a few specks of dust. I stood behind one of my usual seats, and rested my arms against its head. Then, I closed my eyes.

The room was lit. I felt warmth, but this time from actual heat. Two were hard at work making soup. Two others were at the table, looking sick. The two sick ones began talking about how their "sons" were very good cooks.

_That's right. I remember: Everyone had such interesting lives. Interesting talents and skills. Tales of independence that made them who they are now..._

I opened my eyes. The kitchen went dark once again.

_... And then, there was me._

* * *

The floor boards were still relatively strong as I climbed the stairs. I paused in mid-climb to look at the main hall down below. The trophy case was bounded to the other wall.

I continued my ascent and navigated the second floor hallway. I opened the second door to the right. It was the dorm, where all the beds were placed.

I looked back on the times whenever I felt out-of-place and didn't fit in, or whenever I felt useless and inadequate. Sometimes, I would think too much about these things that I would end up tiring myself out. I would go up to the dorms on the second floor and just sleep.

I walked up to my usual bed, the bed where I'd sleep all my worries and anxieties away. I sat down, feeling the bed's firm bounciness.

_This was where you sat that time..._

I laid in bed, clutching a pillow around my arms. I was half asleep, troubled by my thoughts. You sat near the edge, keeping me company. The room was silent. Then, I spoke.

All my frustrations. All my regrets. You took in whatever I had to say. I didn’t know why at the time, but I felt like I could tell you everything. I felt embarrassed at times, making you listen to everything, but you gave me this feeling, this confidence, that I would feel better after talking with you.

_You said you’d be there for me. You said all of you would be there for me._

_Because we are a family…_

Cold broke through the warmth. I opened my eyes. The warmth was replaced by the cold winter air coming in through the crack in the window. I got off the bed and left the room.

_… Where are you all now?_

* * *

The air around me became cold as I descended the stairs. I had forgotten to close the front door on my way in.

I caught sight of the trophy case bounded to the other wall. It was the case where we kept all the guild’s achievements. Awards. Commemorative photos. Everything.

Once at the bottom, I quickly approached the case, forgetting about the door that was wide open. Inside was a huge plaque with twelve spaces, six per row. Four spaces had already been filled with enlarged badges.

_“We agreed to wait! Why didn’t you wait?!”_

The fourth badge seemed to be bolted on in a rush. It seemed slanted to the side.

_“If I didn’t get her, none of this would have happened! She wouldn’t be angry! She wouldn’t have left!”_

_No, it wasn’t your fault. It was just a lapse in communication._

I closed my eyes.

_He stood up and left the hall without a word, leaving the rest of us dumbfounded. He was fed up with all of the selfish, ignorant people._

The cold air was quickly seeping in through the front door. I had to tightly clutch onto my cloak to keep warm.

_“I’m sorry, but I do not agree what the guild is doing. I will be taking my leave.”_

_No…_

I tightened my grip on my cloak. I tightly kept my eyes shut.

_“It was my fault for not following the plan; therefore, I shall dismiss myself from the guild. I’m sorry…”_

_No! I know it wasn’t on purpose!_

My subconscious… It summoned one of my daemons: Shining Trapezohedron. Her hair began wrapping itself around my body.

_I looked at her. She kept up a strong façade. In reality, she was exhausted. Having to step in for the leader and having to cope with the departure of the ones she called family; she had to do all she could to keep things running smoothly…_

_She simply wanted me to trust her, so I did._

Otherworldly circles started to appear as the entire hall began to stir. The tips of dark tentacles tried to emerge as my daemon’s hair tightened its hold on my body. Her face was in pain. She did not want to do this again, but she was bound to me.

_“I guess it’s time for me to take my leave, as well. It was a good run while it lasted…”_

_No! Don’t!_

Feeling that I was about to lose my footing, I quickly knelt to the floor. The windows clattered loudly and the furniture rustled wildly…

_No more!_

… But it was not enough to drown out the emotions rushing into me.

_Please! Not again!_

It was cold. It was empty.

_I don’t want to be alone again! Don’t leave me alone again!_

It came to fill my mind and to take everyone’s place…

… To fill the emptiness that everyone left behind.

_Make it stop!_

I couldn’t hold it in any more. I couldn’t bear it. With a fist against the floor, I struggled to keep my balance. The tentacles of the Crawling Chaos were about to run wild once more.

_Make it STOP!_

But…

_MAKE IT-!_

… I couldn’t let it.

_… Stop…_

My body went limp as the tentacles receded back into whence they came. My daemon loosened her grip on my body, but kept hold of me so that I wouldn’t fall. After gently laying me on the floor, she faded away back into her card, smiling in relief as she did so.

* * *

I opened my eyes.

Above me was the sky, all black and void. Pressing against my back was a bed of flakes. Petals were scattered around me, coloring the bed of white with blots of red.

Not a sound was heard. Not a movement was felt. Time seemed to stand still as I gazed into the empty sky.

To make sense of it all, I tried to put the pieces together, but I began to tire. I tried to stay awake, but to no avail.

Just before I fell back into sleep, I managed to see three figures walk up to me. One of them reached out her hand to me.

_“It’s time to wake up.”_

And I closed my eyes for one more time.

**Author's Note:**

> _... This was the last Ayakashi: Ghost Guild fanfic I had ever written..._
> 
> I started writing this during the December of 2013; however, I got stuck after finishing the scene with the trophy case. The next time I was able to pick it up again was March 2014, when I had finally found a way to close this piece. Finally, this piece was completed; however, it never saw the light of day... Until now...
> 
> Some Notes:
> 
> Ayakashi: Ghost Guild was a mobile game published by Zynga. You would play the role of a ghost agent / onmyoji in present day Japan. Your task was to solve mysteries behind paranormal phenomena. Along the way, you would form contracts with strong daemons (which can be divine spirits, phantoms, and spirits of items) who would aid you in your missions. Its gameplay was similar to games like Rage of Bahamut. The game no longer exists as Zynga had already closed it down.
> 
> The "Crawling Chaos" referred to Nyarlathotep, a Divina-type daemon from the game. You get her "Calm" form as a prize when you beat the Lv 80 version of her "Wild" form during the "Evil Gods Attack!" conquest event. She, along with a few other daemons you can get from her event, is derived from the Cthulhu Mythos.
> 
> Shining Trapezohedron was an long-haired Anima-type daemon that you could get from the event. She is based on the item from the same mythos that was said to have the power to summon evil gods. She had a skill that boosted her own defense when activated. During the in-game event, when Nyarlathotep disappeared without a trace, Shining Trapezohedron ended up summoning dozens of "Wild" copies of Nyarlathotep to fill her place. (Trust me. She had good intentions.)
> 
> Finally, _Red like Roses_...


End file.
